This invention relates generally to an improved handgrip and stirrup support device for use while bareback riding. Horseback riding has long enjoyed wide popularity by men and women alike. Those who ride for leisure or for sport, often prefer the challenge and the feel of riding "bareback."However, while riding without a saddle makes riding to many more enjoyable, it poses certain difficulties for the horse and rider which can be disadvantageous. Typically, a rider with no stirrups or handgrip must grip the horse very tightly with his legs in order to maintain his balance. While this gripping helps to keep the rider from falling off the horse, or from being thrown, it can be very tiring after sustained periods of riding. In addition, it can be uncomfortable for the horse. Nor does it provide complete security to even the most experienced riders, should the horse buck or rear unexpectedly. Stability for the rider is particularly important, and especially where the safety of a novice is concerned.
The type of apparatus which has been previously used to help surmount some of these problems associated with bareback riding generally comprises a handgrip secured to the back of the horse by a girth strap, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,177, issued Apr. 15, 1969 to J. D. Houston. An additional improvement to this device involves the use of a handgrip which permits the attachment of stirrups for the feet in order to further increase the rider's stability, such a combination being shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,653, issued Mar. 25, 1975 to J. A. Thompson. Considering that the intended purpose of such devices is merely to serve as an aid to the bareback rider, they are typically bulkier than necessary, weighing between eight and ten pounds. Nor have such previous devices been inexpensive, because they are generally made with leather and metal parts. (It should be noted that while a typical western saddle costs around five or six hundred dollars, even the cheapest saddle generally sells for about two hundred fifty dollars.) Finally, previous devices have not been constructed in such a way as to afford the most convenient and comfortable placement on the horse's back, which is ideally right at the withers, i.e. the ridge between the horse's shoulder blades.
For a fuller understanding of other devices comprising lightweight saddles, harnesses, and training apparatus, the following U.S. patents may be generally useful: U.S. Pat. No. 767,003, issued to Henry M. Mason on Aug. 9, 1904; U.S. Pat. No. 767,630, issued to Roscoe F. Warren, filed Dec. 28, 1927; U.S. Pat. No. 710,267, issued to Alois Graf on Sept. 30, 1902.